First Time Going to National Convention (Prices better or Worse than eBay)?

[that T206 Guy]

I am Planning on going to the Sports Card National Convention for the Very First Time In Cleveland in August.

I am very very excited

Since I have never been to a Giant Show Show like this I was wondering what should I expect?

Any Tips from those of you that have been to this show in the past?

How are Prices and Selection?

How Many Vendors are there?

[KMayUSA6060]

Prices

Prices will vary. You'll have some sellers who roll their weekend costs into the prices of their cards. Others will have market list prices, and room for negotiation, especially if you buy multiples.

Selection

Depends on your focus. There's a lot of everything, and little of some things. Also, some of the good stuff is picked over on Wednesday by early entry/dealers.

Number of Vendors

A lot. I don't know the exact number, but the IX Center is huge and the show typically does a good job of filling the one side up. You'll be overwhelmed. I've been to two, and learned quickly my errors. Feel free to PM me with any questions.

[tiger8mush]

Prices are much higher than ebay. Probably 25% more. If it was the same as ebay, the dealers wouldn't show up. They have to pay for tables and gas/hotel/food expenses. You can negotiate / make offers if the sticker price is close to what you want to pay. But if its double, then its probably not worth the effort.

tips:
- wear comfortable sneakers cuz you will do a lot of walking for many hours
- bring a backpack to carry stuff in, including want lists and stuff you buy. Don't lose site of your backpack cuz there are sticky fingers all around.
- bring snacks because the convention food options are often limited and pricey
- unless you see an AMAZING deal, try to do a quick run-thru before buying. Keep track of table numbers with notes about the table contents if you see something you like, because you will THINK it'll be easy to find but after seeing hundreds of tables over multiple hours everything blurs together. Something simple like "T206 Cobb red VG $1k table #88 " will suffice.

Have fun!!!
Rob

[that T206 Guy]

Are there any recommended dealers or NOT recommended dealers?

[that T206 Guy]

Originally Posted by tiger8mush

Prices are much higher than ebay. Probably 25% more. If it was the same as ebay, the dealers wouldn't show up. They have to pay for tables and gas/hotel/food expenses. You can negotiate / make offers if the sticker price is close to what you want to pay. But if its double, then its probably not worth the effort.

tips:
- wear comfortable sneakers cuz you will do a lot of walking for many hours
- bring a backpack to carry stuff in, including want lists and stuff you buy. Don't lose site of your backpack cuz there are sticky fingers all around.
- bring snacks because the convention food options are often limited and pricey
- unless you see an AMAZING deal, try to do a quick run-thru before buying. Keep track of table numbers with notes about the table contents if you see something you like, because you will THINK it'll be easy to find but after seeing hundreds of tables over multiple hours everything blurs together. Something simple like "T206 Cobb red VG $1k table #88 " will suffice.

Have fun!!!
Rob

When you say 25 Percent More than eBay do you mean?

- 25 Percent more than eBay Buy it Now (Seems like 90 Percent of eBay is BIN these Days). I remember the Good Old Days when eBay was 90 Percent Auctions.

- Or 25 Percent More than eBay Auction Prices.

It seems like eBay Auctions (What I always do) sell for Half of What Buy It Now eBay Prices are.

[that T206 Guy]

I recently got the following on eBay (Auction not Buy it Now).

1950 Bowman Common PSA 8

It was $40

What do you think that card would sell for at the show?

[that T206 Guy]

I am pretty much looking for the following at the show.

1800's Cards (Low Grade PSA)
- Old Judge, Mayo, etc.

1915 Cracker Jack - Lower Grade PSA
1909 T206 - PSA 7 or Less
1933 Goudey - Lower Grades PSA 6 or Less

Common Cards from the 1940's and 1950's in PSA 8 (My Goal is to get one from each year - I currently have 1950 Bowman and Topps 56, 57, 58, 59)

[that T206 Guy]

Also I am OCD about my PSA Cards.

I only buy Originals that are in the Original Style Flip (from the 1990's) with the Rounded Corners.

The Square ones Drive me Nuts.

I guess I don't like change LOL.

It seems like I have to look at like 200 Square Flips just to Find One Round Flip from the 1990's on eBay.

That is the Main Reason I am going to the show as I only buy on eBay and it takes forever Squinting my Eyes to Find the OLD PSA Holders on eBay.

Will those be hard to find at the show (More or Less Common than eBay).

If they are Non-Existant at the Show I might as well just stay home and Skip the Show.

[ValKehl]

Rob, I agree with you re prices, except for the many eBay museums that have BIN prices that are greatly in excess of what one is likely to find at the NSCC, IMO.

[rats60]

Originally Posted by tiger8mush

Prices are much higher than ebay. Probably 25% more. If it was the same as ebay, the dealers wouldn't show up. They have to pay for tables and gas/hotel/food expenses. You can negotiate / make offers if the sticker price is close to what you want to pay. But if its double, then its probably not worth the effort.

tips:
- wear comfortable sneakers cuz you will do a lot of walking for many hours
- bring a backpack to carry stuff in, including want lists and stuff you buy. Don't lose site of your backpack cuz there are sticky fingers all around.
- bring snacks because the convention food options are often limited and pricey
- unless you see an AMAZING deal, try to do a quick run-thru before buying. Keep track of table numbers with notes about the table contents if you see something you like, because you will THINK it'll be easy to find but after seeing hundreds of tables over multiple hours everything blurs together. Something simple like "T206 Cobb red VG $1k table #88 " will suffice.

Have fun!!!
Rob

It just depends. I have found dealers that are very much in line with Ebay/Auction Houses. They understand that Ebay/PayPal takes 13%, Auction Houses ~20%. They can sell enough where their expenses are covered by what they don't have to give to Ebay/Auction Houses. Then you have dealers who have museum prices and are trying to cover their expenses on a couple sales.

[that T206 Guy]

Originally Posted by rats60

It just depends. I have found dealers that are very much in line with Ebay/Auction Houses. They understand that Ebay/PayPal takes 13%, Auction Houses ~20%. They can sell enough where their expenses are covered by what they don't have to give to Ebay/Auction Houses. Then you have dealers who have museum prices and are trying to cover their expenses on a couple sales.

Awesome.

Glad to hear that.

I have seen a few people say "Museum Prices" on this Forum.

What does that actually mean?

Like Double or Triple what a Card is Really Worth?

Does it only Apply to Star Players or PSA 9 and 10

I am just Buying Commons in the Highest Grade I can Afford.

I am looking to Spend $60 Max from cards in the 1940's and 1950's

Maybe $100 to $300 for Older Stuff like Old Judge and T206

Does that stuff get Marked up to "Museum Prices" or is it only stuff like Mickey Mantle Rookies that are "Museum Prices"?

[griffon512]

"Prices are much higher than ebay. Probably 25% more. If it was the same as ebay, the dealers wouldn't show up."

I disagree with this statement in one of the posts because it's too much of a generalization. Some dealers will be very overpriced and some will be in-line to better than a comparable auction house price, and everything in between. Like with everything else it depends on the dealer's cost basis/financial situation, how long it's been in their inventory, etc. If there is a general statement that I think is true it's that people shouldn't go to the show looking for bargains. That rarely happens for popular vintage cards at these conventions because the dealers are familiar with market prices...but if you work the floor you may get lucky.

[that T206 Guy]

Originally Posted by griffon512

"Prices are much higher than ebay. Probably 25% more. If it was the same as ebay, the dealers wouldn't show up."

I disagree with this statement in one of the posts because it's too much of a generalization. Some dealers will be very overpriced and some will be in-line to better than a comparable auction house price, and everything in between. Like with everything else it depends on the dealer's cost basis/financial situation, how long it's been in their inventory, etc. If there is a general statement that I think is true it's that people shouldn't go to the show looking for bargains. That rarely happens for popular vintage cards at these conventions because the dealers are familiar with market prices...but if you work the floor you may get lucky.

When you say 25 Percent More than eBay do you mean?

- 25 Percent more than eBay Buy it Now (Seems like 90 Percent of eBay is BIN these Days). I remember the Good Old Days when eBay was 90 Percent Auctions.

- Or 25 Percent More than eBay Auction Prices.

It seems like eBay Auctions (What I always do) sell for Half of What Buy It Now eBay Prices are.

[iowadoc77]

You aren't going to get exact answers to most of your questions. If you are solely going there to find great deals, better buy a VIP tag and be running in when the doors open ready to buy immediately the first thing you see that is close to what you want.
The National is an experience and, IMHO, a tremendous one at that. I love to see stuff that I have never seen in person. I love to have conversations and meet great people. I usually buy a few cards and mostly get some great time with my 13 year old and 16 year old sons.
Just my 2 cents worth, but you will get much more out of it if you are going for the experience of it. And bonus if you get some good buys.
Eric

[Exhibitman]

You just gotta go, dig in, and work the room. All of the obvious great deals are gone before the show even opens by way of dealer to dealer sales, but there are tons of great items available at great prices, if you do the legwork. Flexibility is key: if you go there thinking that you are going to look for one rare card only, you probably will leave empty-handed. I find it best to go with a detailed want list across everything I collect but also ready to snap up whatever I come across that I can easily flip or trade. And then there are the offbeat things you find that you just cannot anticipate.

I figure that by the end of the show I will have physically shuffled through over 100,000 cards and looked at untold thousands more.